Ikea to open ‘plan and order’ store in Cork

Self-assembly furniture chain Ikea is opening a new store in Douglas Village Shopping Centre in Cork, the Swedish group confirmed on Monday.

Ikea says it will open its latest “plan and order point” in the shopping mall on Cork’s south side, its fourth such outlet in the Republic.

Plan and order points are smaller than the Ikea superstore on Dublin’s northside. According to the furniture seller, they are focused on kitchens and bedrooms, and are staffed by employees who can advise customers on fitting out these rooms.

The Cork store will work mainly on designing kitchens and wardrobes, but the company says customers can get aid in planning any room in their homes.

Extend EV grant to second-hand purchases, says PwC

---

Wave of innovation aims to make desalination sustainable

---

Smart heater gives greater control over comfort and cost

---

Helping stressed-out GPs manage staffing issues in the workplace

---

Ikea says the shift to these smaller stores is meant to make it easier to shop with the group.

Martyn Allan, the retailer’s market manager in Ireland, said it was aiming to serve customers from Munster who have had to travel to its Dublin store until now. “This new plan and order point means that they instead can meet us to plan kitchens and other areas of their home in their local area.”

The Douglas shop is the fourth plan and order outlet, following Drogheda, Co Louth, Naas, Co Kildare, and Stephen’s Green, Dublin.